1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus which allows the facile carrying and storage of large equipment; more particularly, this invention relates to the use of a sports equipment bag for the facile carrying of large sports equipment; even more particularly, this invention relates to the use of a sports equipment bag for the facile carrying of fishing equipment, such as two fishing poles, as well as other related fishing equipment, such as tackle, knives, and other similar materials.
2. State of the Art
Storage of fishing equipment for travel and use in a safe, convenient, and efficient manner has been a problem to which considerable attention need be given. Industries and hobbies such as fishing, hunting, and skiing require various equipment that must be stored and sorted for convenient transportation and use of the equipment. These and other industries and hobbies have often found it helpful to use storage boxes, toolboxes, and the like in organization and transportation of the various tools and equipment.
However, when carrying all necessary equipment, for example, a fishing pole in one hand and a tackle box in the other, this requires the use of both hands, thereby leaving no free hand. This may pose a safety issue. Some fishing areas require a fisherman to walk down steep hills, whereas others require a fisherman to walk down steep hills having unstable rocks. With both hands full, there is no way for a fisherman to stop a fall or support himself on the rocks while walking down to the fishing area.
Moreover, many children enjoy fishing and most ride bicycles to the fishing areas. With one hand holding a fishing pole, the other holding a tackle box, and both hands trying to steer the bicycle at the same time, this is also a safety concern. The tip of the fishing pole may get caught on low hanging trees thereby causing the child to fall off the bike. Moreover, with more and more cars on the road, the safety concern is an issue. Should the child not have a good grip on the fishing pole or the tackle box, it may fall and cause the child to lose his concentration and control thereby falling off the bike or turning into traffic. Therefore, there is a need for an easier and safer way to carry fishing equipment.
Furthermore, after a fisherman frustratingly makes his way to the fishing site, most realize that they carried a lot of extra unnecessary weight. Tackle boxes are used to store and carry all the fisherman's fishing tackle. However, not all tackle are used in one fishing trip and when carrying an entire tackle box with miscellaneous material, a fisherman is required to carry extra unnecessary weight. Therefore, there is a need for a more convenient way to carry fishing gear that is used only for that day.
Additionally, many fisherman travel, either by air or otherwise, around the world to compete or just to "test out" the fishing in a remote part of the world. Tackle boxes are not easily packed in a luggage or carried during travel. Moreover, tackle boxes are also troublesome during travel since the upsetting or overturning of such a tackle box will generally create an immense tangle of lures inside the box. Furthermore, there is no convenient and easy way to carry, travel, or ship fishing poles. Therefore, there is a need for a convenient and easy way to carry and travel with large equipment such as a fishing pole.
Another concern is space on a fishing boat. Space is a premium in all boats particularly in some of the small fishing boats used by sport fishermen today. A large size tackle box is inconvenient and undesirable. Likewise, a series of smaller tackle boxes also takes up much space in a boat and is cumbersome for loading and unloading. Moreover, the fisherman must carry all of the boxes about or find adequate storage space on the boat. The use of a large tackle box also requires the fisherman to search through his box to find a particular lure since the lures are not readily visible at the same time in conventional tackle boxes. Additionally, some of theses tackle boxes also requires a large amount of space to unfold in order to access the most remote areas of the box further impinging on the space available. This is, of course, undesirable in a fishing situation.
Therefore, there is a definite need for a more practical apparatus that is user friendly, easy to carry and store bulky and large equipment for travel, and use in a safe, convenient, and efficient manner. This invention provides just that. This apparatus is a self-contained bag that allows a user to store all fishing equipment, including a pair of fishing poles. It allows the user to conveniently pack only the equipment necessary for that day, such as a specific type of fishing he may want to do on any given fishing trip. More importantly, it allows a user to carry all equipment in one hand, on his back, or over his shoulder, thereby leaving one or both hands free. This will allow a fisherman to walk safely down to a fishing area and allow a child to safely ride a bicycle with both hands free and clear with the bag on the child's back.